


The Mandalorian - Fools gold

by Ghosthiro62



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bounty Hunters, Angst with a Happy Ending, Assassins & Hitmen, Bounty Hunters, Desert, Duelling, Fate & Destiny, Pedro Pascal - Freeform, Sand People, Smuggler Han Solo, Tatooine (Star Wars), Tusken Raiders (Star Wars)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:20:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24492661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ghosthiro62/pseuds/Ghosthiro62
Summary: A long time ago in a galaxy far far away ...A Rodian smuggler Joe Harbin was caught by the Hutts when moving rare chymera crystals across their territory. In the dungeon he meets Tom Beger who is planning an escape to Sorgan. As the new partners execute an audacious escape across the Dune Sea, The Hutts send Dyn Djarren after them.
Relationships: The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV)/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

In the blistering heat of the Tatooine’s twin suns a small caravan was crossing the desert known as the Northern Dune Sea. Four banthas slowly lumbered over the dunes of ever changing sand with their riders scanning the landscape for any sign of danger. Three of the riders belonged to the Sand People who did not care about the melting sands. The forth one - well, he did not care either. He was dead. The man’s name was Isa Tone and he was a smuggler who had an audacity to double-cross the Hutt cartel.

Four days ago, the one who was now dead made his way through the sea of dunes to his death on a stolen TX-9 speeder. Too much he wanted to free himself, to get to the ship, which would take him away to a safe house in the jungles of Sargon, and he ran out of fuel and realized that when it was already too late.

Trying to escape through the Dune Sea was insane - if you go by day. But he could not wait for the night. Between the bounty hunters and the Sand People, his choice was simple: move or die - and he drove on like a man possessed... but his fate was sealed. He died anyway. The Sand people got to him first.

Nobody has managed to escape from the Hutt dungeons although many had tried. The leader of the small Tusken caravan could tell Isa this, because he had already received a reward for seventeen corpses, and this was a good help. The Tusken smiled under the layers of clothing and the caravan moved on.

In the meantime,Tom Beger, a cellmate of the dead man, was patiently waiting for the news about the escape. Tom was fully informed of the plans of the escaped prisoner and knew that a Correlian ship, piloted by no other than BoShek, would be waiting at a certain place every evening for two weeks to take them off world. The team was well paid, but all they knew was that one man should appear from the desert. Maybe two or more. These people should be taken on board without unnecessary questions and delivered to Sargon.

Tom Beger was about to flee with Isa Tone, but when he finally had the opportunity, Isa took advantage of it alone. In his place, Tom would have done the same. And now he was waiting. Did Isa succeed? ..

Suddenly he heard the whining of the alarms. One ... two ... three ... four times!

The prison gates slid open and closed again. Beger tried to listen. Who came to the prison at this hour? It was not even six in the morning. Outside, a voice came from somewhere outside the gate. It was quite clear, even at a distance, because in this clear air the sounds carried far away.

“They brought another one.”

\- Who is this?

\- What do you think? In six months, only one escaped from here!

Isa! Tom Beger sat quietly, but as he heard the news, jumped and started pacing his cell. Isa Tone was a careful man and usually planned everything in minute detail. Yet, his desire to escape was too overwhelming and now he is dead. Still, the ship will not leave for a few more days. Isa was sure of this, and he planned to appear on the spot on the very first of the fourteen days that the ship would land. The remaining thirteen days were just insurance just in case or against a mistake in calculating the time.  
No one on the ship knows about Isa’s death. Therefore, when a person or several people appear at the landing site, they will be taken aboard and taken to Sargon. Isa died, but with his death the doors did not close.

Beger's thoughts were interrupted by the clang of keys and the sound of approaching footsteps. The door opened and he heard the jailers summon people for day work.  
A black helmeted mercenary with a symbol of Black Sun on his jacket and with a heavy blaster rifle entered with the jailer on duty who began to unlock the locks of the leg shackles that had the prisoners chained to the floor.

———

The prison sandstone quarry resembled a furnace. The heat was unbearable as Tom Beger worked the pneumatic drill. Nearby, Joe Harbin, the Rodian, loaded the cart with broken pieces of rock. Harbin was a smuggler and part-time mercenary who ace an error in judgement when he tried to double cross the Hutts. Tom just was at the wrong place at the wrong time.  
It was almost noon and Beger squatted beside the drill, turning so as not to let their reptilian guard out of sight. Tom was experienced not only in rock drilling, but also in prison affairs, and therefore knew that a prisoner could not choose a cell mate, even a mate to escape. Circumstances do this for you, and then you yourself must be controlled as you can.

“I'm ruining my life here,” said Harbin.

“You killed a man to get that load of chymera crystals. He belonged to the Hutts”

“You talk too much.” - Harbin hissed angrily.

“It bothers you that someone will leave here and take all the loot,” said Beger.

“They don't know where I hid it.”

“Well, I heard that you spilled the beans to some woman and now your secret is out” 

\- What do you care? - answered Harbin rudely. 

Tom suddenly spat on the ground: it was a signal that the guard was turning. When the guard turned to the other prisoners, Beger calmly said:

“It would be a mistake for me to try to break out alone. And you too will be mistaken, because you are not very smart. But if we were partners …”

They worked silently. Finally, Harbin said reluctantly:

\- Do you have any idea?

“Yeah ... I have several of them, and they will work, but I need a partner.”

\- We can take the loot, divide it in half ...

\- split up? Are you crazy? What do you think, I got them to share with someone?

\- We would become partners.

Joe spoke again. Tom Beger hurriedly spat in the dust, but Harbin, too angry to think, continued to shout angrily:

\- Hey! What do you think ...

Suddenly the guard appeared next to them.

\- Talking is forbidden!

Harbin turned his face, distorted by anger.

\- You!..

The guard’s reaction was quick. He had to deal with more than one tough nut, and he saw where everything was going. The butt of his gun hit sharply, precisely, and took out Harbin. He fell to his knees, green blood oozing from his head. Stepping aside, the guard glanced at Beger.

“What’s going on?” - the guard hissed angrily.

“Joe can't stand the heat. You know, he was born on an ice world, and cannot tolerate the heat like you or me.

\- Okay. This time I will not report. But if you are his friend, then keep him on a short leash, do you hear? - He wiped his forehead. “And really it is baking in here. Cannot blame him.

He left, and Beger helped Harbin up. There was little blood - just a trickle, but Harbin still looked with glazed eyes.

“You saved my hide,” he said.

\- Why not? Are we not partners? Harbin sighed again.

\- So what kind of idea do you have there?

“I can deliver you to Sargon... along with the loot... in ten days.”

“Okay ... partner.”

“Good. And I implore you - do not make this guard angry. If they part us, I will leave myself.


	2. Chapter 2

As the day dragged on, Joe Harbin was getting impatient. 

“I have a plan” - said Tom, and, seeing Rodian’s surprise, added hastily - “Trust me. I promise that we will break out tonight.”

Harbin incredulously tilted his head to the side.

\- In the evening?

\- Be ready. Around sunset.

Joe Harbin licked his lips and looked at the sun ... two more hours. He felt a cold sweat come out under his shirt. Was he scared? Well ... maybe. But he will go through it not matter what the cost... He had already tried once cold Bantha Blood Juice. Now, that was a a drink!

They worked in the blistering heat. It was damn hot that a careless touch on steel drill would cause major burns. Tom watched as the guards dragged away two poor people who lost consciousness from the heat. Yet, he and Joe Harbin stubbornly carried on A reptilian guard, who was watching them today, came closer 

“Well, guys, you are now the best duo on this shift.” - he hissed - ”Collect your tools. Enough for today.” 

\- Thank you sir. I think so, you're right. Better leave something for tomorrow.

Tom collected the drills but after waiting until the guard’s attention was distracted, Beger kicked one drill away. Looking around, Beger saw that fresh explosives were lowered into freshly drilled holes. Beger thought for a moment, imagining in his mind all the events that would happen here, and carefully weighing the odds.   
“Everything is happening according to the plan.” - he thought as he and Joe Harbin returned to the warehouse, where the prisoner-clerk checked the tools they brought.

“You are early today.” - the clerk said and grinned. - “Okay. Harbin, did you bring your tools?”

Harbin placed the pile driver on a shelf near the door, looking casually over his shoulder. His throat was dry and he was nervous, knowing that now, at any moment ...

Beger threw the drills on a shelf, but the clerk glanced at him.

“Tom, you are missing a drill.”

“I overlooked it, see,” Tom answered calmly. - “In a hurry.”

“Well then go back and find it. You know the rules.”

Beger walked slowly back, weighing each step — he knew how many eyes were watching him. But he also knew that in search of a drill he would hide for a while from the guards who were now standing next to the prisoners below in his quarry, and from the storekeeper from the tool store.

He went downstairs, as if in search of a drill, suddenly dropped to one knee, picked up a remote detonator stocked up in advance... And then he picked up the drill and slowly walked away.

He knew when the explosion would happen, and he knew what should happen when the escape took place. Tom Beger was a cautious person and carefully planned every step; in his plans even the shadows of those same Yaki Indians were hidden somewhere. It is not possible to plan something for the Indians. It all came down to a simple formula - to get away from them, if it works out, but if it doesn’t work out, fight back.

He went to the warehouse.

“Here is your drill. Satisfied?”

“So it's not me, Tom,” said the clerk. - it's the rules. You live by them.

He held out his hand to take Tom's drill, but then the air was filled with a thunder of explosion. In the ensuing chaos Tom and Joe ran back to the quarry. Almost immediately, they stumbled upon the guard's corpse, half covered with rocks and sand. Tom Beger quickly tore off the belt with a holster, took extended batteries and hid the blaster in his pocket. Joe grabbed the blaster rifle. 

———————-

As the alarms blared, prisoners and guards tried to get out of the clouds of smoke, dust and debris. Some walked staggering, bleeding. Mixing in with crowd, Tom and Koe crawled out of the quarry and ran toward the horse van nearby.

Suddenly, the head of the prison appeared, accompanied by several guards. He stopped abruptly, peering at the mess that killed his career, while the guards ran down the slope to deal with the people below. Tom Beger quickly jumped to the chief and poked the barrel of his blaster in his ribs. Joe Harbin ran to the other side and pulled the boss's weapon from its holster.

“Chief, we have nothing against you, only if you want to live, lead us to the speeder platform”

\- I do not…

“Chief!” - Beger warned, “we don’t have time to argue!”

The boss began to object, but Harbin deftly hit him on the head with a butt of his blaster. They quickly dragged the unconscious to a speeder and threw him across the seat. Tom Beger started the engine, and the speedertook off towards the prison gates.

Joe Harbin put the boss in front of him so that he was clearly visible. The plan worked! Now, if only ...

\- Stop! - shouted the sentry.

The speeder continued toward the gates, and another guard appeared on the watchtower at the gate.

\- Stop, I'll shoot!

“Open the gate,” Beger ordered, “otherwise we’ll shoot the boss!”

Hesitatingly, the sentry began to look around, looking for help, but there was nobody. The assistant chief and everyone else ran into the quarry to help the injured.

\- You have three seconds! - shouted Harbin, - and after that I will shoot your boss in a head! .. Time!

The sentries looked at each other. They got their job from the boss and they needed him.

\- Two!

One of the sentries turned sharply and entered a code into his hand pad. The gates began to slowly slide open. Joe Harbin felt droplets of sweat dripping down his eyebrows, the hair on the back of his head moving. At any moment, the shooting could begin.

Finally, the gate opened, and they drove through the arch. They were finally free.

\- Drop him! - ordered Tom. Joe Harbin pushed the boss, who had not yet regained consciousness away and he rolled on the ground as they sped away. A blast rang out from the tower, another, but they had already disappeared behind the unevenness of the slope. Suddenly, the alarm began to scream behind them.

The desert sun was merciless. It was not even brightness and heat that depressed, but oppressive heaviness, and Tom found himself hunching, as if surrendering to the star.  
They crossed the outskirts of the Dune Sea, where there was nothing but cracked clay - in all directions, as far as the eye could see. There was no shadow, no life. This was hell.

“Nothing will attract a man of sound mind here,” Tom thought, but nevertheless sat up straight in the saddle of the speeder, defying the sun. His overcoat was sewn from thin white fabric, a hood was pulled over his eyes, and a cover protected his mouth and nose. The clothes partially reflected light, but this did not help much.

Beger raised his eyes to the sky, and only here Harbin first thought about time. It was also well chosen. There were only a few minutes before sunset, and then it would quickly darken, as always in the desert. Then they will be able to travel relatively safely until dawn.

But Joe Harbin was a suspicious person. Beger carefully planned every step ... but what are his plans for the moment they get the loot? It was an unpleasant thought, but Joe Harbin was thinking about it himself, and he himself would like to know how far he was going to go with Beger. The difficulty was that they needed a ship, and Harbin was not sure that he could handle the Tuskens and others that could go after the escapees.

Beger probably has a plan for this as well, so Harbin might need some help. Well, if the Tuskens find their trail, they cannot do without each other. For these raiders, the desert is their home, so they have to help each other.


	3. Chapter 3

I have a job for you." - Greef Karga told the Mandalorian . "I know that you have been lucky and successful with your deliveries but this is a big one."

"I'm listening."

"I am glad that you are paying attention. Of course, everyone needs money and always, especially people like us." - Greef grunted and scratched a long scar on his forehead. - "Payment is more than decent. Will you take the job?"

"I would like more details." - Mando never took on a contract without knowing everything about it that was possible.

"Watching out, as always?" - the old man smiled knowingly. - "It's good. The job, in principle, is not difficult, but profitable. Have you seen people recently leaving my office?"

"No." - Mando shook his head.

"Serious fellows, I'll tell you.. Do you understand what I mean?"

"No puck. Face to face. Direct commission. Deep pocket." Greef Karga cryptically told the bounty hunter everyone knew as The Mandalorian. "Go to see what the client wants."

The Hutt compound met The Mandalorian with a closed gate. A long stalk of a gatekeeper droid slowly descended to face him.

"What do you want?" a creaky metallic voice asked Mando. An ID was shown and the gate slowly slid open.. Once Mando was inside, he was ushered into a conference room where an older man was sitting at the head of a long table. He gestured for Mando to sit.

"My name is not as important as your purpose here. As you may know, we need to retrieve a valuable asset. We plan to be very generous in our reward for this bounty. If you deliver the bounty in one year, you will receive a bantamo of Bescar steel. Do you agree to the terms?"

Mando was duly impressed. He just nodded to the Imperial but he was smiling behind his helmet. This much Bescar steel will go a long way to support the Foundlings for the Mandalorian clans. He went to work right away

The settlement was small - about thirty dilapidated houses, and a couple of two-story buildings. One was used as a cantina, and the second was the headman's house and in the center of it all - a water tower. Necessary minimum in order to at least somehow exist in the middle of the hottest point of the Dune Sea.

The speeder stopped at the edge of town and the rider got off. He was a tall man, clothed in steel armor, his face unreadable behind his Mandalorian helmet, drifting from place to place, always running from the long hand of the Imperials who chased after him and his precious cargo. Sand crunched under his leather boots with a heavy sole as he walked slowly towards a group of local men loitering in front of the cantina. "The welcoming committee." Their faces soured as he approached the cantina.

Sam Burroughs smoked his pipe on the porch and watched the approaching man. The dog, lying at his feet, growled, but then calmed down. Sam carried a blaster on his belt, which he knew how to use, and right behind the door stood a carbine.

\- Hi Sam!

“Damn me if it's not the famous bounty hunter!” 

A couple of more speeders stopped by, carrying two men and a young woman.

“Do you have whiskey?” - asked a man named Jake. He was a young man, tall and wiry, ready for an adventure.

“The best in town,” Sam smiled. He got up and trudged ahead of them into the house. - However, I can’t say that I have too many competitors.

He set a bottle and two glasses in front of them, looked at the girl.

“And you, a cup of coffee?”

\- Show where what, and I'll cook it myself.

“Just outside the door. You will easily find it - everything is at hand.”

“You are the last one,” remarked the one whose name was Clint.

“We are not as lonely here as you might think.” There are many cattle breeders, sometimes some of these adventurers appear ... Everyone is looking for something.

“I didn’t think it was so crowded ... Sam poured into glasses.”

“I'm here all over the house.” I have always loved the company, and Dyn's friends are my friends, ”he added innocently. “There are few amenities in this city, such as it is now. There's nothing to look at here, unless you are looking for treasure,” said Sam.

\- And what, is something wrong?

“Well, it's up to you to know.”

“Exactly, Mr. old-timer,” Jake pushed back his glass. - Come on, Clint.

“You haven't had coffee yet.”

\- This is for Nora - Nora Paxton. If she wants coffee, let her drink. And I'll look for where to spend the night.

“I guess I'll see if the lady needs help,” Sam turned to the doors behind the bar, but Jake blocked him.

“I'll do it.”

Dyn sat very calmly. He found a kitchen stool at the opposite end of the counter and sat there alone, not interfering in the conversation, but keeping everyone in sight. He could hear voices from the kitchen, although words could not be made out.

Nora stood at the stove when Jake Andrews entered.

“We want to take a look around,” he said. - “And we don’t want to meet anyone on the road, you hear!”

They stopped in front of a dilapidated cabin. Clint pushed Jake aside and went inside. It was a simple whitewashed room with a hearth; the few furniture consisted of a rough table, two chairs and two beds against the far wall. Clint found a chain with a hook hanging from the middle ceiling beam, and hung a flashlight on the hook.

“Now we are alone with fifty million credits.”

“But where are they?”

\- Somewhere near. You can’t squeeze more out of people than they know ... 

\- Women! At first there was a girl of Joe Harbin, and now Nora Paxton appears ... You insisted that you bring her here.

“Don't get Nora mixed in here. She is a decent girl.”

\- Okay, she doesn’t count. But still, where is the loot? Jake Andrews scanned the room and floor. He knew that treasures were usually buried. He studied the floor more closely. It was knocked together from random boards, scraps of planks, only a few of them stretched along the whole room, and not one of them looked particularly special. Apparently, the floor was laid after the hut was built, and the material for it was dragged from other houses.

“He should have left some sign,” Jake said. “But what could it be?”

“You forget, friend: he knew where he buried the loot.”

“However, he could not take the risk.” He knew that time, dust, wind change the appearance of things. He did not expect to leave gold here for a long time, but he knew that he could not pick it up the next day. I bet he left some mark ...

The whitewashing on the walls was very old, but looked intact. It is unlikely that anything was hidden here without any indication. The hearth is also not touched - apparently, at least. Jake continued to study the floor boards. Squatting down, examined the board at the board ...

\- Clint! He cried out suddenly. - Look! He was pointing to one of the planks of the floor, but Clint did not immediately see what he meant. And then he saw - an arrow formed by rusty hats of nails.

The nails were driven in to secure the board, but one row was redundant, and two more nails formed a rough arrow. Is it a coincidence? Or was it the key they were looking for?

“Let's tear off the board,” Jake looked around, then went to the door with a lantern. “It seems to me, right here I saw a pickaxe behind the door ...”

Clint waited, looking at the bar. This is here, of course. Fifty thousand dollars in gold ... With such an amount, God knows what he can do ...

Jake came back and set the lamp on the floor.

“One piece of iron without a handle,” he said. He laid the flat end in the gap between the boards and tried to pry the board. Rusty nails burst easily through a rotten tree. He pressed the pick once more, and the board moved away, split in half.

Clint eagerly grabbed the board and tore it off. Under it was a chest with a sophisticated coded lock.


	4. Chapter 4

“We are rich. Here it is!” - said Jake. “Fifty million credits!”

“Yeah, fifty million credits” - Clint said in a steady voice. - “Now they are mine.” 

Jake looked up questioningly. His expression gradually changed. Clint had a blaster in his hand.

\- Clint! You…

A blaster shot caught Jake right in the middle of the chest. Jake Andrews fell forward. His mouth parted as if he wanted to say something.

Clint put his blaster away and attempted to open the lock. His meager technology skills were useless. The only person he knew with enough knowledge about digital security was on the floor of the hut, dead...

Somewhere far on the street a door slammed, the sounds of quick steps came. Clint jumped up, looking wildly around, rushed to the door and looked out. The Mandalorian was approaching with a blaster in his hand, and a little further after him - Nora Paxton. Clint instantly attempted to fire but missed, Dyn crossed the street and hid in a thick shadow, shouting to Nora:

\- Get in the shade! He will kill you!

Clint leaned out of the door, caught a glimpse of Nora's movement, and tried to fire again. Catching a glimmer of light on the metal, Dyn fired. Clint’s body jerked and he fell into the room. Dyn quickly ran across the street with a blaster at the ready.

\- Drop it! - the Mandalorian yelled from the doorway. “I don't want to kill you.”

Nora, looking at Jake's body, suddenly raised her eyes to Clint.

“You killed him.” You!

Grabbing Jake's blaster, she picked it up, but before she could fire, Dan knocked the gun out of her hands.

“He can still be useful to me, Nora! .. And you,” he showed Clint a blaster, “go over to that bunk.”

\- Why is this?

“We'll wait a bit here. So get comfortable.

\- What is with my hand?

Dyn looked at his hand. It was just a scratch.

\- You will live. 

“Why didn't you shoot him?” - asked Nora. - “He tried to kill you.”

“I'm not the police or the court. But if he tries to shoot me again, I will kill him.

Gathering the blasters, Dyn put one in his belt - in reserve. He suspected that until this night was over, he would need all the firepower that he would be able to gain.

“I'll go back - I need to finish with coffee,” Nora said.

He looked thoughtfully at her.

\- Go ahead. And take your time.

There was silence in the room. A lantern barely lit the room. Clint lay on his bunk, nursed a wounded wrist, and mused. Dyn had no doubt about his thoughts and knew that Clint would kill him at the first opportunity, just like his partner.

Clint was furious: he did not know what to do. He longed for the treasure, and it was somewhere here; but he killed the only person who could open the lock.   
The Mandalorian, waiting, tried to figure out Clint's plans. This man wants to kill him, but he is unlikely to have a chance... Having heard the steps, Dyn looked out. It was Nora who carried a coffee pot and several cups.

“Sam told me to bring this here.” You may need it. She set the cups on the table and poured coffee for Dyn, then Clint and herself.

Dyn was in no hurry to get the cup - he waited for Clint and Nora to take it for themselves. Noticing this, Nora said:

\- You never take off that helmet?

He smiled at her:

“Never.”

She sipped her coffee.

He listened to the night, ready to hear disturbing sounds. They will come, he was sure. But where did this confidence come from?   
His expectation, his silence occupied the attention of the other two. He did this intentionally because he hoped to catch some kind of reaction on their part. 

“Are you waiting for someone?” - asked Nora. He nodded.  
That's it. I am waiting for the people who hid this box. Clint turned his head abruptly and stood up.

“But they are in the Hutt prison!”

“I bet a million that they will be here before dawn,” Dyn said calmly. - In the prison there was some noise when I approached the city. I bet it's them.

Clint sat down.

“They will kill us!” - she cried. 

“Maybe ... Or maybe not.”

He got there first, ”said Beger.

“He's in the cabin,” objected Harbin, “but that doesn’t mean that he has found my cache.” No one will find it except me.

“Maybe he has already stumbled upon it and dragged everything away,” said Gopher.

“And left the house lit?” Joe Harbin stopped the horse at the house closest to the adobe and pulled out a blaster.

The Mandalorian was waiting; his face was calm. Nora retreated to a corner, away from the firing zone. Clint watched from the bunk.

“There are several people,” he said. “Are you going to deal with them alone?”

\- Yeah ...

“You're crazy,” Clint looked at him. “Well, what will I have from this?”

“And you have nothing to do with it. You killed your partner. You can sit here, otherwise you can take a chance and chase the treasure a little more. And you can run away.”

“So what?”

“The only way you could find out about this loot is from his girlfriend and Joe is a terribly jealous man.

“It's not me! Clint retorted.” - It was Jake.

“So you will say this to Harbin. Maybe he will believe it …”

There were steps outside, and then a voice:

\- Hey! Come out!

“Well, here they are, Clint,” said Dyn. “You are sitting here, and they will believe that you are in this business with me.”

Clint suddenly jumped up.

\- I want to go out. I want to get out of here immediately!

\- Come on.

Clint moved to the door, then hesitated.

“What about weapons?”

The Mandalorian handed a blaster to Clint with the barrel forward.

“And now, face the door. If you turn around - I will shoot you.”

Clint took the blaster and stepped toward the door. Then he cried out:

“I want to go out and talk!”

The Mandalorian pushed back the bolt at the back door.

\- Okay! Came out” - yelled Joe Harbin. “Come out with your hands up!”

Clint opened the door, holding a blaster in his hand, quickly jumped out and fired. Three blaster shots cut him down.


	5. Chapter 5

Joe Harbin entered the room, followed by Tom Beger. Beger slowly inspected the room, stared at Nora, then at the corpse.

“Turn him over,” he asked Harbin. He knelt down and turned Jake's body face up. 

“This is not Danny,” he said in surprise.

“This is Jake Andrews,” Harbin explained. - and the one we killed was Clint Wilson.

\- Clint Wilson?

“He is,” Harbin answered with a grin. And he looked up at Nora. “Whose little girl are you?”

“I was with these people ... But I'm not someone else's girl ... I'm Nora Paxton.”

“Take what we came for,” Tom said impatiently. “You hear, Joe, throw the women out of your head.”

“Have you been with them?” - insisted Joe.

“They were going to the Mos Espa, and I need to go there too.” They promised to take me with them, but I had no other case.”

“To the Mos Espa? Why do you need to go to the Mos Espa?”

“In the case ... This is my business, and it does not concern you.”

Harbin smiled at her.

“Don't be offended, ma'am.” If you still want to go there, you can go with us.

Now Beger was looking at her.

“How were they going to get to the Mos Espa?”

“They have a van, standing there, on the street, and they were heading to the wells of Papago.”

“And then?”

“I know where there is water between Papago and the Mos Espa. Because of this, they agreed to take me with them.

“I never heard that there is water,” Benger said.

“It is there.” A good pond, the water is kept there all the time, clean water ...

“If so,” said Joe, - “then our worries are over.”

“Clint shot Jake. Apparently, he thought that they had already found the loot when Jake.”

“And not his first.”

Nora listened. Was the Mandalorian outside? What is he up to?

“Take the loot,” Beger said, pointing to the box. “And let's get out of here soon.”

Harbin picked up the box from the floor, reverently patted it, and entered the combination password. There was a slight hiss as the lid slid open. The shimmering light of chymera crystals filled the room.

“Wow,” - said Nora, looking at the open box.

“These must be worth a fortune, indeed,” she whistled. 

“Fifty million credits, baby!” - Harbin smiled wide.

At this time, the Mandalorian, moving silently, entered the front door. He had a heavy blaster in his hand. Already inside, he stepped from the door to the side and froze, watching. Tom Beger noticed him first - and slowly, carefully raised his hands up. He had never seen the Mandalorian shoot, but he suspected that he was good enough.

“I can bring you in warm or I can bring you in cold,” Dyn said to Harbin tossing bounty fob.

Harbin let his hand hover over the butt of his blaster. A mean-looking scar ran across the back of his hand from his index finger to his wrist. He wore his holster high, a single rig with the leather worn smooth at the buckle. It paid to notice details.

Easy, moving no more than was necessary, Dyn met his eyes. "Something you want to say?"

"You got a reputation for being fast."

Dyn looked at Joe Harbin. He was packing a NN-14, its black grip well tended. Din didn't doubt there were notches in it. Joe Harbin looked like the type who would take pride in killing.

"You heard right."

Harbin's fingers curled and uncurled. "I'm faster. Faster than you, Mandalorian."

Dyn glanced around the room, then back into Harbin's dark, edgy eyes. "Congratulations." He wanted his bounty alive, but Harbin seemed to spoil for a fight. The move had Dyn narrowing his eyes. The look came into them, the hard, flat look that made a smart man give way. "You and your friend are coming with me." - Dyn pointed to Tom. Harbin did not move but his hand slid closer to the blaster holster.

"You really want to die?" - Dyn asked wearily.

Dyn watched the grin spread over Harbin's face. He didn't think he was going to die. His kind never did.

"I hear your mother was a whore." Joe Harbin grinned when Dyn stopped and turned again.

Dyn was used to rage. It could fill a man from stomach to brain and take over. When he felt it rising up, he clamped down on it. If he was going to fight - and it seemed inevitable - he preferred to fight cold.

Harbin grinned again, then went for his blaster. Dyn saw the move, not in Harbin's hands but in his eyes. Cold and fast and without regret, Dyn drew his own. There were those who saw him who said it was like lightning and thunder. There was a flash of steel, then the flash of the blast . He hardly moved from where he stood, shooting from the hip, trusting instinct and experience. In a smooth, almost careless movement, he replaced his blaster in its holster. Joe Harbin was sprawled on the dirt floor.

“I am taking this with me,” - Dyn pointed his gloved finger to the crystals.   
“Do you want to come with me?” - he asked Nora.   
“I would love to,” - she smiled.

Razor Crest engines roared to life. Tom Beger and Joe Harbin were safely packed in their carbonate shell. The crystals were being returned to their rightful owner. Nora was sitting in the co-pilot's chair and looked happy. “Another job well done,” Dyn smiled to himself and Razor Crest jumped into hyperspace.


End file.
